Pneumatic-despatch-tube system.



" N0. 743,109. PATENTED NOV-'3', 1903.

M. STJXNGE.

PNEUMATIC DESPATGH TUBE SYSTEM.

APPIQI UATION FILED JAN. 17, 1 903.

I N0 MODEL.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

No. 743,109 v PATENTED NOV. a, 1903.-

M. STANGE. PNEUMATIC DESPATGH TUBE SYSTEM i PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP AN. 17, 1903.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSS umnml I I u 4 3 i I v Patented November d, 1903 PATENT OFFICE.

MAX STANGE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS;

PN EU MATIC-DESPATCH- TUBE SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 743,109, dated November 3, 1909;. Application filed January 17, 1903. Serial No. 189.389. (No model.)

T5 aZZ whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, MAX STANGE, of Ohicago, in the countyof Cook and State of Illinois, have invented .certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic-Despatch-Tube Systems; and I do hereby declare that the following is a; full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, andt-o the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in pneumatic-despatch-tube systems; and the object of the invention is to simplify the construction of such systems by reducing the number of trunk-lines extending between a central station, as a cashiers station, and a number of outlying stations.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a pneumatic-despatch-tube system embodying my invention, showing a cashiers station and a number of outlying or salemens stations. Fig. 2 is a detail illustrating the despatch-door at a salesmans station and the means for opening said door. Fig. 3 is a detail illustrating the sending-box at the cashiers station. Fig. 4. is a detail section of the lower end of the receiving-box at the cashiers station. Fig. 5 is a crosssection of the return-tube, showing a cartridge in elevation. Fig. 6 is a detail illustrating the construction of one of the guidelugs of the cartridge. Fig. -7 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the return-tube, showing the interfitting connections between the cartridge and the tube. Fig. 8 illustrates another means of equipping the cartridges with guide-lugs. Fig. 9 is a transverse section taken on line 9 9 of Fig. 1

As shown in said drawings, A A designate sending-tubes, through w hich cartridges are despatched from the outlying or salesmens stations B B to the cashiers desk 0.

D D designate return-tubes, through which the cartridges are returned from the cashiers desk to the salesmens stations.

The terms sending and return tubes are herein employed to designate, respectively, the tubes through which the cartridges are sent or transmitted from the various salesmens stations to the cashiers desk and through which said cartridges are returned from the cashiers desk to the salesmens sta-' tions.- It will be understood, however, that said terms are herein employed as a convenient means of designating the different parts of the system and are not to be regarded as limiting terms. The said sending-tubes are provided with receiving branches A A, which latter are provided at their lower ends with despatch-doors A which are hinged to the tube at one side thereof and swing downwardly away from seats at the ends of the branches. The said branches are connected with the despatch tube by curved parts, which permit the cartridges to pass readily from the branches to the main tube. The extreme end A of the despatch-tube shown is also curved downwardly and constitutes a branch whichis open at its lower end to re ceive cartridges. As the system herein shown is constructed the extreme end A of the despatch-tube is open and the end of said tube adjacent to the cashiers desk is connected with a pipe E, which communicates with an exhaust-pump, (not shown,) whereby is induced in said sending-tube a current of air by which are transmitted cartridges from the outlying stations to the cashiers desk. The

branches A are, however, closed at all timesexcept at times when cartridges are inserted thereinto and while the cartridges are passing therethrough to the main sending-tube. As herein shown, two sets of sending and return tubes lead to and from the cashiers desk, one in one direction and the other in another direction, and the suction-pipe E is connected by branches with both of the sending-tubes. the tubes is herein shown; 'but it will be understood that the other set is similarly equipped. It will, furthermore, be understood thatan y desired number of sets of tubes may be associated with a single cashiers station.

The despatch-doors A of the branches A of the sending-tubes are constructed to be normally closed, being held by suitably-applied springs or equivalent devices against their seats at the ends of the branches. Said doors are herein shown as designed to be The equipment of but one set of opened by means of levers A having the form of bell-crank levers, and each lever is divided, so as to pass on each side of its branch. Said levers A are'each provided with a handle portion a, and the lower ends ct thereof bear against the upper sides of the associated despatch-door at each side of the said branch. Said levers are pivoted at their angles on pivotpins a attached to the branches A in any suitable manner. With this construction when one of the levers A is thrown downwardly it acts to swing its door A downwardly sufficiently to permit a cartridge to be inserted into the branch. At the cashiers desk the despatch-tubes A are provided with downwardly-opening hinged doors A which are normally held closed by springs. Located below each of said doors is a receiving-terminal A which is curved laterally, as shown in Fig. 3, and is open at its extreme end to permit the cartridge to be readily removed therefrom. Said terminals are also provided with vent-openings a which serve to permit the cartridge to pass freely therethrough. The suction-pipe E of each tube A opens into said tube a short distance above .the terminal doors A so that the cartridges are delivered with suflieient force against said doors to open the latter and pass fromthe tube to the receiving-terminal. The return-tubes D are similarly provided with branches D, which terminate at the salesmens stations, one adjacent to each one of the branches of the sending-tubes. The receiving end of the return-tube of each set is located closely adjacent to the terminal end of the sending-tube of said set at the cashiers station. Said branches D are provided at their terminals with flap-doors d, which are hinged thereto and are seated against the ends of said branches through the medium of suitably-applied springs. Said doors (1 are located a short distance below the junction of the branches with the tubes D and are opened by impact thereagainst of the cartridges from the tubes D. Located below each branch D is a receiving-terminal D, made similar to the terminals A through which the cartridges are guided from the branches to the usual baskets D located below the same. Said return-tubes are provided at the cashiers desk with swinging sending-boxes D which consist of short swinging tube-sections which are opened at both ends and provided with trunnions d, by which they are hinged to strips or bars D D one on each side of each return-tube and extending below the same. When said sending-boxes are swung into line with the returntubes, snfficiently tight joints are provided between said boxes and the lower ends of the tubes to prevent the escape of any considerable amount of air between said parts. The swinging movement of the boxes to bring the same into line with the return-tubes is limited by means of suitable stops D which rise from the cashiers desk, as shown in Fig. 3.

The trunnions of said boxes are located slightly below the longitudinal centers thereof, so that the weights of the boxes tend to normally hold the same outwardly in the position shown in Fig. 3. When a cartridge is to be returned through one of the tubes, the cartridges are inserted into the box from the upper end thereof and thereafter said box is swunginto line with the tube, the suction in said tube acting to draw the cartridge from said box into the tube to transmit the same to one of the salesmens stations. Said despatch-box is provided at its lower end with a stop D which prevents cartridges falling through the box, and said step is perforated, so as to afford no impediment to the passage of the air into the tube through said box.

The return-tube is herein shown as provided with three discharge branches or terminals D, and the extremity of said tube is turned downwardly and constitutes in itself a delivery branch D whereby four discharge branches are provided, one located adjacent to the receiving ,end of each of the sending branches A at the salesmans station B. The terminal end of said return-tube communicates with-a suction-pipe F, whereby air is drawn through said return-tube, the air being received by said tube through the despatchbox D hereinbefore described.

Inasmuch as there are a number of discharge-terminals leading from each returntube, it is necessary to provide means for properly guiding a returning cartridge in its traverse from the cashiers desk to that one of the salesmans stations from which said cartridge was sent. The means for effecting this result constitute the principal feature of the present invention and are made as follows: The return-tube is provided with a plurality of longitudinally-disposed circumferentially-separated grooves d equal in number to the number of discharge branches or terminals which lead from said return-tube, the return-tube being shown as provided with four branches, including the downturned terminal thereof, and four of the longitudinal grooves cl referred to are formed in said return-tube. Each one of said grooves d is appropriated to one of the branches or terminals in such manner as to direct acartridge to its associated branch or terminal. For instance, as shown in Fig. 1, one of said grooves is continued through the curve connecting the branch or terminal nearest adjacent to the cashiers desk with the main tube D, and a distance into said branch. Another of the grooves similarly enters the second branch. A third one in a like manner enters the third branch,and the fourth groove extends through the horizontal part of the return-tube a short distance past the junction of the third branch with said tube, it notbeing necessary to carry the last-mentioned groove into the turneddown terminal or branch of said return-tube. The cartridges are provided with projections which are adapted to fit into said groove, so

ICO

that when a cartridge is inserted into the rethe trunnions of which have bearing in"1at- 'erally-separated lugs or cars 9 one pair at each end of the cartridge G. Located beneath each of said blocks is a flat spring 9 which is attached at one end to the cartridge and slides thereon at its other end and bears between its ends against the trunnion-block in a manner to hold the pin both in its extended position and in a position parallel with the axis of the cartridge. 'Said pins are provided on their outer ends with roller-bearings 9 for diminishing the friction between the pins and said grooves. When said guide-pins are thrown outwardly, the ends thereof extend slightly radially outside of the end packingrings of the cartridge, but when thrown inwardly parallel with the axis of the cartridge are contained within such circumferential line. When the cartridges are passing through the proper guide-groove d.

the ungrooved parts of the return-tube and through the sending-tube, the guide pins or lugs are thrown downwardly, so as to alford no impediment to the free passage of the cartridge through said tubes, and when they are to be despatched. through the grooved parts of the return-tube said lugs or pins are thrown upwardly before being entered into the tube. Instead of equipping the cartridges with two lugs or projections a single lug may be employed, as shown in Fig. 8. In practice the cartridges from each station will be designated by a given number, such as 1, 2, 3, and 4, so that when the cashier desires to return a cartridge she will know by the number on the cartridge the station to which it is to be returned, and the guide-grooves will be similarly designated, so that the cashier in returning the cartridges has only to engage the guide pins or lugs with In this manner a number of salesmens stations may communicate with the cashiers desk through the medium of a single trunk pipe or tube, there being as many branches provided as there are salesmens stations, and it is assured that when a cartridge is properly started on its return trip it will be delivered to its proper destination. It will be furthermore observed that such proper guiding of the cartridges to their destinations is effected without the employment of interoperating mechanism, such as electrical or mechanical switches, and while the means for guiding said cartridges to their proper destinations is a simple one it is at the same time very efiective and certain in its action. The grooves in the returntube and projections or lugs on the cartridges obviously constitute interfitting guiding meansby which the cartridges are guided into the proper discharge branches, and it is obvious that the same practical effect may be socured by reversing the arrangement, whereby a groove on the cartridge is adapted to be engaged by one of a number of ridges in the tubes. The swinging sending-box for each return-tube is also provided with internal grooves 0?, which register with the grooves d of the tube when the box is swung closed, so that a cartridge may be inserted into said box from the top thereof, an operation obviously more convenient than would be the insertion of the cartridge into the tube from beneath.

In order to prevent a cartridge entering the despatch-tube from one of the branches A from colliding with a cartridge which is atthe same time passing through said tube at the junction of said branch and tube, I

' have provided means for retarding or intercepting the cartridge in the tube at this time sufficiently long to permit the cartridge in the branch to pass out of the branch fully into the tube before the intercepted cartridge in the trunk-tube is released. The inter cepting means, as herein shown, consist ofa rod or bar H, located just in rear of the junction of each of the branches A with the tube A with respect to the direction of traverse of the cartridge in the despatch-tube and adapted to be forced transversely across saidtube at the time a cartridge is inserted into the adjacent branch A, so as to intercept a cartridge passing therethrough. The intercepting-bar H is operatively connected with the despatch-door A at the lower end of the branch terminal A. The operative connections consist in this instance of a rigid arm a projecting rearwardly from said door, to which is loosely connected or hinged a rod h, which is itself connected at its upper end with the intercepting rod or bar H. Said rod or bar it extends through and has guiding engagement with a guide A on the branch A. With this construction when a cartridge is to be inserted into one of the branches A the despatch-door thereof is opened by throwing down the lever A and the opening of the door acts to lift the associated interceptingbar upwardly across the despatch-tube A in a position to retard a cartridge passing through said tube'in rear of said branch until the cartridge has passed out of the said branch fully into said tube. Preferably the upper end of each intercepting or retarding bar A will enter when thrown upwardly in its retarding position asocket a in the pipe, as shown in Fig. 1, whereby said rod or bar is reinforced or strengthened against the impact of the cartridges.

It is obvious that many changes may be made in the structural details shown without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not wish to be limited to such details except as hereinafter made the subject of specific claims. For instance, while I have shown the return-tubes and branches equipped with the guides described it is to be understood that they may be employed in the sending-tubes and branches-as, forinstance, where it is desired that a salesmans station shall communicate with more than one cashiers desk.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a pneumatic-tube system, the combination with a despatch-tube and its branch, one of said parts being provided with a longitudinal guide formed in the inner cylindric face thereof and which extends throughout the length of the same and a distance into the other part.

2. In a pneumatic-tube system,the combination with a despatch-tube and its branch, one of said parts being provided with a longitudinal guide formed in the inner cylindric face thereof and which extends throughout the length of the same and a distance into the other part, and a carrier having on one side a part which has interfitting guiding engagement with said guide.

3. In a pneumatic-tube system, the combination with a despatch-tube and its branch, one of said parts being provided with a longitudinal guide-groove extending throughout its length and into the other part, and a cartridge provided with a swinging guide projection adapted to enter and travel in said groove, and to swing toward and from the shell of the cartridge. v

4. In a pneumatic-despatch-tube system, the combination with a despatch-tube and a plurality of branches leading therefrom, of a plurality of longitudinal, circumferentiallyseparated guides extending throughout the length of the tube, each of said guides extending into one of said branches.

5. In a pneumatic-despatch-tube system, the combination with a despatch-tube, of a plurality of branches leading therefrom, said tube being provided with a plurality of longitudinally-Vdisposed, circumferentially-separated guide-grooves, each of which enters one of said branches.

6. In a pneumatic-despatch-tube system, the combination with a despatch-tube, of a plurality of branches leading therefrom, the extreme end of said tube being turned downwardly to constitute a branch, said tube being provided with a plurality of longitudinally-disposed, circumferentiallyseparated guide-grooves, each of which enters one of said branches and one of which extends past the branch farthest remote from the receivingend of the despatch-tube to guide a cartridge into the downturned end of the tube.

7. In a pneumatic-despatch-tube system, the combination with a despatch-tube and its branches, of a swinging despatch-box at the receiving end of said tube which is adapted to be swung into and out of line with said tube, said tube being provided with a plurality of longitudinally-disposed, circumferentially-separated guides, each of which enters one of said branches, the despatch-box being provided with an equal number of like-located guides.

8. In a pneumatic-despatch-tube system, the combination with a return-tube, a plurality of discharge branches leading therefrom and a plurality of longitudinal, circumferentially-separated guides extending through the tube and each entering one of said branches, of a sending-tube, the terminal of which is located adjacent to the receiving end of the return-tube and provided with a plurality of receiving branches having despatchdoors, intercepting means in said sendingtube in rear of the junctions of the branches with said tube, and operative connections between said despatch-doors and intercepting means.

9. A cartridge for use in pneumatic-despatch-tube systems, provided with a swinging lug which is adapted to project laterally therefrom and to be swung inwardly toward the side of the cartridge.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 7th day of January, A. D. 1903.

MAX STANGE.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM L. HALL, GERTRUDE BRYCE. 

